Chapter 3

The title sent chills up and down her spine. Surrounding its glimmer were out of place books such as Hierarchy of the Angels and Revelation: the last true war of Heaven.

Edging her fingertip over the lip of the spine she tugged it free from its resting place. Not even the thick dust of misuse marred the books covering despite it laying and marking its empty place. Opening the cover gently she scanned the first page for an author or even who the publisher would be, but it was blank. Just as blank as each subsequent page. Confusion wrinkled her face as she flipped thru pages. She was sure this book had seemed to call to her. Slamming its cover shut she pushed it back onto the shelf in frustration. That had been pointless. Her fingers still tingled from where they had brushed along the gilded spine. Rubbing them against her khaki shorts she shivered as the darkness around her finally seemed to seep into her pores.

A tremble of fear skittered up her spine and she nervously started back towards her friends. She turned around towards the front of the library, and let out a high pitched scream that echoed back at her from the darkness. Standing in front of her was a wall of muscle wrapped within a white buttoned shirt. Twin orbs of cerulean stared down at her like ice freezing her in place.

"Is there something that you needed back here Miss?" The edge in his voice had her choking back a whimper. Rather than squeak, Gretchen quickly shook her head.

"If there's nothing you need then you should rejoin your friends back up front."

Nodding quickly Gretchen shuffled her feet and started edging around him.

Throwing an arm across her path his upper lip curled up at the corners as he watched her jump back like a frightened mouse.

"It would be in your welfare to stay where you're supposed to and not wonder around without supervision."

Gretchen bristled like an angry cat feeling her fear of this ice man shift to annoyance. Inky black hair so dark it was almost blue framed a face so beautiful it hurt. It was almost distracting along with his very presence. Cringing inside because she had noticed it made her refocus on her anger. "I… We had been sitting here for almost a half hour and no one showed up. What harm was there in looking around the library?" In her bravery she had moved closer to this man and stood up tall instead of cowering under his authority.

"For your information we've never been in trouble before so excuse me for not knowing the finer details of detention.. Perhaps a posted sign would be more appropriate than sneaking up on a person, Sir."

Walking around the wall of muscle she chuckled to herself at his shocked expression and headed back to her friends.

Rebecca and Sarah were sitting in the same places that she left them in. Flicking the tip of Rebecca's ear, Gretchen giggled as her friend jumped in her seat and turned to look at the culprit pulling her earbuds out.

"What the heck was that for?" She scowled up at Gretchen and rubbed her throbbing ear.

"Sorry Becc, but can you believe that bossy wall of muscle that came in to watch us? Not only was he late, but he said we shouldn't wander around without supervision. It's in our best welfare." Flopping into a seat Gretchen huffed and folded her arms across her chest. After a couple of minutes she realized that Rebecca and Sarah hadn't made a sound. Both of them looked over her shoulders with their mouths opened wide in surprise.

With a sickening feeling of deja vu she slowly turned her head to the side. A rather large hand gripped the top of her seat followed by a lean muscled forearm. Gulping quietly, she hoped, Gretchen met the same cool eyes from only a few minutes ago. An amused smirk made them twinkle as his lips brushed against her ear in a throaty chuckle.

"For your information Miss Bryant, there is a posted sign right over there." Tilting her slackened jaw with his fingertips he pointed to the front desk that all the girls failed to notice. To Gretchen's dismay and embarrassment, there sitting out in the open, was a sign with a little bronze bell to ring.

Gretchen felt a blush heat up her cheeks. She jerked her chin out of his fingertips and turned to look at her best friends. They both shrugged and shook their heads.

"Are you kidding me? How did none of us see that over there?" Standing up from her seat she stomped over to the desk and picked up the offending sign. Mumbling the words under her breathe she reads it from top to bottom. Her friends watch her stiffen and pivot around. "You! You just put this up! Word for word exactly. That's what you just told me. Word for word."

Crumpling the sign in her hand, Gretchen throws it on the ground and stomps on it with the toe of her shoe.

"You know what. We were late for one class, because we tried helping someone else. I think paid our penance for our good deed. I'm leaving. Rebecca? Sarah? Are you guys coming?" Grabbing her backpack from off of the table she slipped it over her shoulders. When neither of her friends answered her she felt a rush of betrayal and nodded stiffly.

A hot tear slipped down her cheek as she pushed thru the heavy doors. First her parents forget about her because of a new baby. Now her best friends chose an asshole over standing by her side. Screw them all she muttered to herself.

The girls watched her storm out and knew they had just fractured a part of their friendship with their ward and friend.

"Well that went just wonderful. Why didn't you both tell me that she had a temper?" Both Rebecca and Sarah scoffed and said in unison.

"Did you not see her red hair?" Shoving her ipod into her pocket Rebecca stood up and crossed her arms across her chest. "Maybe if you weren't such a blank wall of ice then perhaps she wouldn't have erupted like Mt. Vesuvius. I thought you were here to help guide her and get along in general?"

Sarah wrapped her small hand around Rebecca's shoulder and shook her head. "Rebecca don't make fun of Pravuil. He's the archangel of wisdom for goodness sake. Stop being so rude!" Rebecca shrugged off Sarah's hand and rolled her eyes. "Fine. I'm sorry Mr. Holy Archangel Pravuil." She bowed to him in sarcasm and then mocked him with a salute. "You just ran off your student so what do you suggest we do now?"

Pravuil leveled a scowl at Rebecca, trying to remember that they were the girls best friends and would need to be around. Over Rebecca's shoulder Sarah raised her hand timidly while trying to avoid his glare.

"Yes Sarah? I suppose you also have some sort of tantrum to hurl at me?"

Lowering her hand she let the edge of her fingers linger against her lips. "Um. . . No Sir. I'm not the one who is going to be upset with you. What are we going to do when her father finds out?"

All three shivered at once. Pravuil's spine stiffened as he thought about the consequences of today. Groaning out loud he dropped into a chair and rubbed at the oncoming headache pounding behind his eyes.

For an archangel of wisdom he had certainly not thought out this scenario. It was turning out to be a day almost straight from Hell.

The schools front doors banged against their frames in the wake of Gretchen's furious disappointment. With every slam of her foot to the ground she flt that the earth should quake with her anger.

"How could they choose that overbearing asshole over me?"

A small tick made her cheek jump. She was fighting so hard to keep her emotions from overflowing. It sucked being one of those girls that bawled when she was angry. She cursed herself as she felt her face getting warmer. Brushing her fingertips under her eyes, Gretchen sighed and silently wiped away the offending tears and wet mascara.

"Well look who we have here guys. And all by herself with no little friends to back her up this time."

Gretchen yelped in surprise as Jakobs hand reached out and grabbed ahold of her upper arm. She could feel the bruises already forming under his torturous grasp.

Looking up thru her blurry eyelashes she could have sworn she saw large black wings coming out of the back of Jakob's shoulders. The ebony shapes trailing all the way to the ground.

"What the. . .?"

Blinking her eyes a few times, Gretchen twisted her arm in his palm trying to get loose. She only succeeded in making his hold tighter.

Once her vision cleared the wings from behind him had disappeared. Could she hae imagined them. The rough feel of his other fingers pinching her chin brought her from her thoughts sharply. "Stop spacing out you little twat. I'm talking to you." jakob dug his nails into her cheeks and laughed.

"Did the poor little girl have a fight? Is that why she's crying like a baby? Or did she get rejected by her stupid crush on her best friend's brother? Poor little baby. Does she want Jakob to make it all better? What do you think guys? Should I give her some comfort?" Jakob turned his head and shared a laugh with his minions. The sound was starting to turn her stomach.

Gretchen felt blood slowly trickle down her cheeks as his nails pierced thru her ski. She struggled not wanting to find out what his version of comfort was.

Smacking her hands against his chest made him turn to look at her and his laugh darkened. An evil glint made his dull eyes shine.

"If you wanted it rough darlin' all you had to do was ask. Now I get to return bruise for bruise." His voice grated her hearing.

Her eyes widen in pain as he wrapped a hand thru her hair and pulled her head back sharply. "Smile for me little girl. It's the last expression you'll make for anyone." The hand tugging at her scalp forcefully twisted her head to look at him.

Gretchen cried out as she felt her neck turn at an odd angle. Jakob tsked and silenced her by wrapping his other hand around her throat. Gurgling noises replaced her painful outburst as he tightened his fingers across her windpipe.

Her hands tried to pry off his fingers as her vision started clouding over. She scratched at him desperately trying to get him to let go. Every breath burned thru her lungs like she had swallowed razor blades.

Jakob watched as Gretchen's eyes dimmed the longer he squeezed her pale neck. It fascinated him watching the light of her soul sputtering and flickering to its death.

"Say your prayers little girl. Maybe your father will hear. Too bad you'll never know."

Gretchens vision wavered black a she called out silently.

"Father! . . . For . . . give . . . me!"

Her last breath left her just as Jakob stood in shocked silence holding her limp body between his hands.